Key Bridge Boathouse Replaces Jack’s Boathouse; NPS Continues Study of Another Boathouse

“We look forward to working with Boston Outdoor Recreation as they continue on the tradition of providing a valuable service to visitors,” said the National Park Service’s Rock Creek Park Superintendent Tara Morrison said in a press release. “Visitors to the newly renamed Key Bridge Boathouse will find the same or similar services offered as before.”

With those words, Jack’s Boathouse is gone. The NPS awarded the new contract in March. “At some point, you can’t fight the Feds,” said Jack’s Boathouse owner Paul Simkin earlier this month. The new boathouse opened April 20. As for Boston Outdoor’s commitment to hire all of the old Jack’s Boathouse employees, that prom- ise appears to have hit a snag.

Meanwhile, the NPS continues its study of a new boating facility on Potomac in Georgetown.

The NPS states:
“The National Park Service is examining the feasibility of implementing a non-motorized boathouse zone along the District of Columbia’s side of the Potomac River waterfront upstream of the Georgetown Waterfront Park. This study represents an opportunity for the NPS to identify specific ways to enhance access to the river for user groups, as well as complement the riverside experiences provided by the Georgetown Waterfront Park and the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park. This is particularly challenging, given that there is limited space for and a high amount of demand.

“The NPS will be studying what structures and facilities can be accommodated within this non-motorized boathouse zone that are related to waterfront, access to the river, and are con- sistent with the necessary and appropriate uses for this zone. This study will lay the ground- work for future decision-making regarding (1) scenarios for development/improvement of NPS facilities and (2) further planning and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)/National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) compliance as necessary to implement the non-motorized boathouse zone.”

The NPS will host a public meeting on this study, May 22, from 6 to 8 p.m., May 22, at the West End Public Library, 1101 24th St., NW. For more information, contact: Tammy Stidham, National Capital Region at 202-619-7474 or tammy_stidham@nps.gov.